The Government of India has donated 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Sierra Leone to support the country’s National School Feeding Programme, in a contribution aimed at helping pupils from vulnerable households access meals at school.
The donation was formally handed over to the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education, Conrad O. Sackey, at the World Food Programme (WFP) warehouse in Kissy, Freetown.
The ceremony was attended by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary and officials from the Indian High Commission in Sierra Leone.
The rice is expected to be distributed to schools across the country under the government’s school feeding initiative.
Speaking at the handover, Mr Sackey said the donation was intended for one purpose: to ensure that schoolchildren benefited from meals through the national programme.
He said school feeding was an important part of efforts to improve attendance, keep children in education and encourage girls to remain in school, particularly those from families struggling to meet their basic needs.
The minister thanked the Indian government and its people for the donation, singling out India’s High Commissioner, Norbu Negi, for his role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
He described the contribution as evidence of the longstanding partnership between Sierra Leone and India, built on shared interests and a commitment to education as a driver of national development.
Mr Negi said the donation reflected India’s commitment to supporting food security and education in Sierra Leone.
He said the rice would help children, support vulnerable families and encourage pupils to remain in school.
The high commissioner also linked the initiative to Sierra Leone’s Big Five Game Changers Agenda, saying India recognised the importance of school feeding in improving educational outcomes.
He reaffirmed India’s willingness to work with the Sierra Leonean government to strengthen the Free Quality Education programme.
The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education said it would ensure that the rice was distributed transparently and reached the schools and pupils for whom it was intended.
The donation comes as Sierra Leone continues to rely on partnerships with international development partners to support education and improve access to essential services for schoolchildren.
